‘DIRGAYUTVA’ IN VEDAS; GREEK SCHOLAR ON LONG LIFE OF HINDU SEERS! (Post No.4465)

(Sri Ramanuja lived for 120 years)

‘DIRGAYUTVA’ IN VEDAS; GREEK SCHOLAR ON LONG LIFE OF HINDU SEERS! (Post No.4465)

Written by London Swaminathan

Date: 6 DECEMBER 2017

Time uploaded in London- 17-05

Post No. 4465

Pictures shown here are taken from various sources such as Facebook friends, Books, Google and newspapers; thanks.

The concept of long life is found in the Rig Veda; the wish for a life span of 100 years is seen in lot of places in the Vedic literature. This shows that the Vedic Hindus were very much health conscious. This shows also that they were highly civilised. Their target was a welfare society.

Every day the Brahmins do Sandhya vandana (water oblation) three times and in the noon ceremony, they recite a long Mantra looking at the son through Varuna Mudra; this Mudra (hand gesture) prevents damage to the eye. In the long Mantra they pray to Sun God to give them good eye sight, good hearing, good speaking skills and ever happy mood. They also pray for invincibility. Every sentence finish with the words ‘for 100 years/autumns’ (saradas satam)

(Kanchi Shankaracharya 1894-1994)

Pasyema saradas satam

Jivema saradas satam

Nandaama saradas satam

Modaama saradas satam

Bhavaama saradas satam

Srnvaama saradas satam

Prabravaama saradas satam

Ajeetaasyama saradas satam

Dirgayutva, longevity, is a constant object of the Vedic prayers. Atharva Veda has spells to prolong existence.

When Hindu youths salute the elders they always bless them with long life. They say ‘Dirgayusmaan Bhavaha’ (Live for long). When they bless them like this, they mean a full life of 100 years without any disease or difficulties.

Atharva Veda and Panchvimsa Brahmana use the word Dasami for the period of life between 90 and 100 year. Rig Veda called it Dasama Yuga (1-158-6) meaning the ‘tenth stage of life’.

Dirgatamas lived for 100 years (according to Sankhayana Aranyaka)

Mahidasa Aitareya lived for 116 years (says Chandogya Upanishad)

(Trailinga Swami of Varanasi lived for 280 years)

Greek Scholar Onesikritos

Onesikritos, who accompanied Alexander the Great, visited India and wrote that the Hindus lived sometimes unto 130 years. Buddhist Jataka Tales also say people wished a long life of 120 years. This was the condition of India 2300 years ago.

The Brahmanas regularly express the reward for ritual actions by the phrase ‘sarvam aayur iti’ meaning ‘he lives all his days’.

In our own times Kanchi Shakaracharya lived for100 years (1894 to 1994). Sri Gnanananda Swami of Tirukovilur in Tamil Nadu lived for 150 years. Trailinga Swami of Varanasi lived for 280 years (1607-1887). If we go by these records Hindus lived longer than anyone mentioned in the Guinness Book of Records.

Sri Ramanuja lived for 120 years and Vedanta Desika lived for 101 years.

Bharadwaja story also shows that one could live unto 400 years.

Manu in his Manavadharma Shastra says,

“In the Krta Yuga people were free from sickness and worries and the life span of man is 400 years. In the Treta yuga it was 300 years, in the Dwapara Yuga 200 years and in Kali Yuga 100 years” (Manu 1-83)

It adds that the seers can increase their age through penance.

(Sri Gnanananda Swamil lived for 150 years)

Tamil saivites believe that Tirumular lived for 3000 years (but not in human body)

What we infer from all the Vedic writings is that the Vedic Hindus were health conscious and they aimed to live for 100 years.

The story of Bharadvaja (from my old post)

There is a story in the Taittiriya Brahmana (3-10-11-3) about Bharadvaja studding the Vedas

Bharadvaja lived through three lives in the state of a religious student (brahmachari). Indra approached him when he was lying old and decrepit and said to him,

“Bharadvaja, if I give you a fourth life how will you use it?”

Bharadvaja said, I will be a Brahmachari studying the Vedas”

Indra showed him three mountain like objects, as it were unknown. From each of them he took a handful, and, calling to him, Bharadvaja!

“these are the three Vedas. The Vedas are infinite. This is what you have studied in your three lives. Now there is another thing which you have not studied. Come and learn it. This is universal science. He who knows this conquers a world as great as he would gain by the triple Vedas.